Gearing up for Rally Argentina

Welcome to one of the most demanding stages of the WRC.

It's time for the World Rally Championship's annual trip to South America. The highlight: Rally Argentina. It's one of the WRC's most physically and mentally draining stops on the WRC tour. Argentina offers some of the planet's most insane gravel roads. Based in the Cordoba province, the event runs from May 2 to 4 and features the classic and often misty El Condor test stage.

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This year's Rally features a shorter route and time frame, which runs 24 hours earlier in the week than usual, with the race starting Wednesday. Almost 63 miles of the total special stage length has been taken off the route compared with last year, and the total competitive distance for this all-gravel rally now stands at 253 miles. The total number of individual stage venues has been reduced from ten to seven with 14 stages compared with 18 in 2012. Even so, the emphasis of the race continues to be on long stages with the average stage length being a bit over 18 miles. And the shorter overall format will make it friendly for media coverage.

As shown below, the big excitement is that nine-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb will be competing in his final Rally Argentina, a race that he has dominated since 2005, before he retires in September.